It’s the season of lights, gifts, music, and warm drinks. In German, Christmas is Weihnachten. This is your German word of the day, and it’s one you’ll see everywhere from late October onward—on signs, in songs, and in store windows.
The noun Weihnachten means Christmas, and it’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German. It’s tied to both religious tradition and widespread cultural celebration throughout the German-speaking world.
It’s a neuter noun, so we say das Weihnachten (if you’re still unsure about gender, don’t miss our fast, friendly video that’ll finally make it click: https://deutschable.com/course/lesson-3-3/).
Pronunciation
Weihnachten is pronounced [VY-nach-ten].
- The W is pronounced like a V,
- The ei sounds like “eye,”
- The -nach part rhymes with Bach,
- And -ten ends with a soft “n.”
The word is plural in form but used singularly—more on that below!
Example sentences:
Weihnachten ist mein Lieblingsfest.
Christmas is my favorite holiday.
Wir feiern Weihnachten immer mit der Familie.
We always celebrate Christmas with family.
Nuance and usage tips
Weihnachten refers to the holiday period, especially December 24th (Heiligabend), December 25th (Erster Weihnachtsfeiertag), and December 26th (Zweiter Weihnachtsfeiertag). In casual speech, it’s often used to refer to the entire festive season.
You’ll also hear and see:
- Weihnachtsbaum – Christmas tree
- Weihnachtsmarkt – Christmas market
- Weihnachtsgeschenk – Christmas gift
- Weihnachtslied – Christmas song
- Weihnachtszeit – Christmas season
- Weihnachtsmann – Santa Claus (more German-style)
Note: Although it looks plural (ends in -en), Weihnachten is grammatically singular.
How does this word come up in real conversations?
Even beginners will use Weihnachten when talking about holidays, plans, and traditions. It’s great for building conversation around what people do, where they go, and what they eat.
You might hear:
“Was machst du an Weihnachten?” – What are you doing for Christmas?
or
“Ich fahre über Weihnachten zu meinen Eltern.” – I’m going to my parents’ for Christmas.
Also useful: phrases like vor Weihnachten (before Christmas), nach Weihnachten (after Christmas), and zu Weihnachten (for Christmas).
Sample Dialogue (Beginner Level)
Tobi: Freust du dich auf Weihnachten?
Nina: Ja, ich liebe die Lichter und die Musik!
Tobi: Ich freue mich auf die Geschenke.
Nina: Und auf das Essen!
Tobi: Are you excited for Christmas?
Nina: Yes, I love the lights and the music!
Tobi: I’m looking forward to the presents.
Nina: And the food!
Grammatical case examples:
Nominative:
Weihnachten ist ein schönes Fest.
Christmas is a beautiful holiday.
Accusative:
Wir feiern Weihnachten bei meinen Großeltern.
We’re celebrating Christmas at my grandparents’ house.
Dative:
Zu Weihnachten gibt es immer viel zu essen.
There’s always a lot of food at Christmas.
Genitive:
Die Stimmung von Weihnachten ist etwas Besonderes.
The mood of Christmas is something special.
Neuter case pattern: das, das, dem, des
Word variations and language tidbits
Germany is famous for its Weihnachtsmärkte (Christmas markets), which take over town squares in late November. Each region has its own traditions, foods, and music. Popular treats include:
- Lebkuchen – gingerbread
- Glühwein – mulled wine
- Stollen – a fruit and nut bread dusted with powdered sugar
The Christmas season officially begins with the Advent period, marked by calendars, wreaths, and candles.
📘 Duden entry: https://www.duden.de/rechtschreibung/Weihnachten
🎥 Learn Weihnachten and the rest of the top 1000 German nouns in our free online video course: https://deutschable.com/nouns/
Ready for more German words of the day? Do you know what Wein means? How about Werk? Find out!